A specialized sports chiropractor can enhance an athlete’s recovery from injury, help prevent future injury, and improve athletic performance. This can be accomplished by adjusting, or re-aligning, the injured extremity to increase range of motion and stability to the joint. After restoring the proper functional movement to the extremity, an exercise program is prescribed to increase strength and flexibility to the affected area.

A chiropractor can help reduce recovery time from the following conditions (to name a few):

• rotator cuff injury
• adhesive capsulitis aka frozen shoulder
• tennis elbow
• golfer’s elbow
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• IT band syndrome
• hip pain
• knee pain
• ankle sprain
• foot and toe pain
• plantar fascitis
• rib dysfunction (pain with inhalation or shooting pain through rib cage)
• TMJ dysfunction
• numbness and tingling

Dr. Radin is highly trained in the assessment and treatment of sports injuries. Please feel free to contact his chiropractic office in La Jolla, San Diego, CA if you have any questions about sports injuries or the material presented in this article.

2) Stretch Daily
Tight muscles occur as a result of repetitive usage of the same body part or due to long periods of time spent with your body in the same position. Routine stretches help prevent the muscles from becoming tight and developing chronic problems. Remember to stretch everyday to help keep the pain away.

3) Strengthen Your Back And Neck Muscles
The muscles of your neck and back play an integral role in stabilizing your spine. When imbalances in the musculature start to develop, then it opens the door to future spinal problems. A classic example of this is a person walking hunched forward at the neck with the shoulders rounded forward. This occurs, in part, to weak spinal erector muscles whose function is to hold the head upright.

4) Exercise Regularly For Mobile Joints
As everyone should know, regular exercise is good for your overall physical and mental health. What you may not realize is that exercise helps keep your spine healthy as well. The movements associated with athletic activity allow each part of your body to move in various ranges of motion. Joint fixations, which can lead to pain, are much less likely to occur if exercise is part of a daily routine. Mobility is paramount when it comes to a healthy back.

5) Stay Well Hydrated
The average human body is made up of 55-60% water. Water makes up an important part of your blood, muscles, skin, and intervertebral discs – just to name a few. Staying well hydrated is important for back health because the discs are like sponges and absorb a lot of water. Have you heard someone say that they are taller in the morning? This is true because your discs fill with water at night when your spine is relaxed and doesn’t have the weight of your body compressing it. The more water you take in during the day, the better hydrated your intervertebral discs.

6) Increase Core Strength
Your back and abdominal muscles are commonly referred to together as “your core.” The core muscle group helps maintain stability and balance in your body and support your spine. Your core offers stability to your spine when lifting a heavy object. if you trip over a curb, then your core muscles contract in an effort to help maintain balance and prevent you from falling. If part or all of your core becomes weak, then your body will not be able to adapt well to stresses placed on your body each day. This makes you more susceptible to back sprain/strain injuries.

7) Start From The Ground Up
Your feet have a direct impact on the rest of your body because they help absorb shock with every step you take. Like the foundation of a house, your feet support the weight of everything above them. When a problem develops in your foot and ankle, the subtle change in the way you walk will cause a chain reaction of adjustments to your posture and walking bio-mechanics. These changes can put stress on joints higher up in your body and lead to more serious problems and pain. Ask your chiropractor or foot care specialist if you could benefit from custom foot orthotics and make an investment in supportive and comfortable footwear.

8 ) Keep Your Bones Properly Aligned
Maintaining optimal spinal alignment and mobility are vital in the battle against chronic back pain and preventing tight muscles in the back and extremities. Tight painful muscles can result from your body’s natural defense mechanism against joint misalignment. When a joint becomes misaligned, the body’s natural reaction is to prevent further injury to the area. The muscles “lock down” the area with the intention of maintaining stability in the affected region. The muscles will immediately begin to relax when proper alignment and joint function is restored. Routine spinal check-ups help ensure that your spine is in alignment and that your joints are moving properly.

9) Stay Committed
Maintaining a healthy back is a life-long commitment. Make each of the New Year’s resolutions mentioned above part of your routine. Put in a little effort each day — your back will thank you later.

A sagging mattress is one obstacle that can stand between you and a good night’s sleep. It is important that the proper support is underneath you when attempting to get in a comfortable position to sleep. A good mattress should provide an even, supported, and comfortable surface for your body to rest upon. A deep body impression that causes a slant in the mattress can lead to a restless night of sleeping and a wake up call in the morning from Mr. Back Pain.
A good quality mattress is important for back support, but your pillow choice is also crucial for providing proper cervical support and alignment. A pillow that isn’t the correct size or shape for your sleeping style can lead to spinal alignment issues. Those who sleep on their back need a cervical pillow that offers support to re-enforce the cervical curve. (shown in the picture below) The head should rest comfortably in the “valley” of the pillow, as the curve in your neck is supported by the rounded “hill”portion.
Side sleepers require a pillow that is wide enough to fill in the space between their shoulder and head. This ensures that the head is not tilted to one side all night.

Sleeping on your stomach puts an incredible amount of strain on your neck, back, and shoulders. As a stomach sleeper, you can lay on your side and place an extra pillow in front of your chest and stomach to help prevent you from rolling onto your belly.

Proper lifting technique
It is possible to injure yourself by not lifting objects incorrectly, no matter how light they may be. A few helpful tips include:
• Keep your low back straight
• Bend from the knees
• Lift with your legs
• Don’t bend straight over from the waist

Good Posture While Driving
Most people spend a fair amount of time driving in their car, especially in San Diego traffic. Here are a few important tips that will help keep your spine healthy while driving.
• Keep your seat back close to 90 degree
• Sit up straight with your head close to the headrest
• Arms comfortably resting at the 3 & 9 o’clock positions on the steering wheel
Good work habits
Many people spend much of their work day in front of a computer screen. Any activity that you engage in for many consecutive hours can lead to microtrauma in your body. The postural muscles that support the joints and structures in your body will become weaker over time if one sits at a desk with improper posture everyday. Some helpful tips to improve your workstation are listed below.

The Chair

• Arm rests should allow your elbows to sit at a 90 degree angle.
• Use a lumbar support and situate it slightly below the waist line.
• The height of your chair should allow your feet to rest flat on the floor.
• Allow 1-3 inches between the edge of the seat and the back of your knees.
• A high back chair supports your shoulder blades, while a low back chair doesn’t.

What to Eat
Consume a meal that consists of fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, and a small amount of fat. This type of meal will provide enough fuel to keep energy levels up during the activity, but will be absorbed slowly enough that you won’t become hungry while exercising. Some examples include:

• Smoothie containing protein powder, low- fat yogurt and fresh fruit
• Eggs with whole wheat toast and fresh fruit
• A whole grain cereal with low-fat milk and a side of fruit
• Peanut butter on a whole grain bread and a banana
• Lean chicken breast served with brown rice and steamed vegetables

Do NOT eat foods with a high fat content. Fatty foods cause blood flow to the stomach to increase. This will lead to cramping during exercise. It will also take much longer to digest and stay in the stomach for a long time. Some examples include:

• French fries or potato chips
• Doughnuts and candy bars
• Meat such as a hamburger, steak, or ribs

Hydration
Staying well hydrated with plenty of water is obviously important, but there are other alternative beverages being promoted for athletes these days. Advertisements lead us to believe that sports and energy drinks will help improve performance, but is that true?

• Sports drinks: Should be used if you are exercising intensely for more than 1 hour. After 60 to 90 minutes of intense exercise, the sports drinks will replenish electrolytes (sodium & potassium) that are lost in sweat.
• Energy drinks: They contain very high levels of caffeine and give you a quick energy boost, but why is this bad during exercise? Caffeine causes your kidneys to remove extra fluid from your body, resulting in more rapid dehydration. These drinks don’t provide the body with any necessary nutrients or fluids you need during exercise.